Vehicle wheel-rim.



J. H. WAGENHORST.

VEHICLE WHEEL RIM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10, 19I2.

1,136,984, Patented Apr. 27, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

511 00 wlfoz m3 (3 061121 W 4% V Q J. H. WAGENHORST.

VEHICLE WHEEL RIM.

APPLlCATION FILED JUNE 10. 1912 Llaifififi, Patented Apr. 27, 101.3.

- ZSHEETS SHEET 2. FE GA.

hurrah STATES rarnur enrich.

JAMES E. WAGENHORST, OF AKRON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, OF

TWO-FEFTHS TO THE B. F. GOODRICH COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, 17. Y., A CORPORA- TION OF NEW YORK. ONE-FIFTH TO THE GOQDYEAB. TIRE 8a RUBBER COMPANY, 0F AKRON, QHIO, A CGBPORATION OF OHIO, AND ONE-FIFTH T0 THE UNITED STATES TIRE CGFIPANY, OF NEW YORIK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YGRK.

VEHICLE WHEEIrEIM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 2'7, 2 .915.

Application filed June 10,1912. Serial No. 702,851.

To aZZ 'Iff/IOHL it may concern Be it known that 1, JAMES H. WAGEN- nons'r, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Akron, county of Summit, and State of Ohio, have invented certain; new and useful Improvements in Vehicle Wheel-Rims, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention relates to improvements in vehicle wheel rims of the class designed .to carry a pneumatic or other resilient tire.

It includes improvements in various details oi coast; tion of the means for securing a tire-ca rim upon a wheel, reniovabl J t he tirecarrying rim bearing the the can be taken from the wheel'and replaced by a duplicate rim carrying another, preferably already inflated, tire.

My invention also includes animproved form of transversely split tire-carrying rim and certain improvements relating to removable rim structures, the nature of which will fully appear from the following detailed descriptiouoi' my invention.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a vehicle wheel having one form or" my improved rim applied there to; Fig. 9. is a side elevation on an enlarged scale of a part of the rim and wheel felly shown in Fig. 1, a portion of the tire-carryrim being shown in circumferential section; Fig. 3 is a perspective .view of one of the clips used for carrying the radial studs; Fig. l is a bottom plan view of a portion of the rim base of the tire-carrying rim re moved from the wheel and showing the transverse joint therein; Fig. 5 is a transverse section through the wheel felly and rim showing one of the radial securing bolts and illustrating the socket of an improved form of wrench in cross-section; Fig. 6 is a circumferential section through the wheel felly and rim at the valve-stem; Fig. 7 is an elevation of my improved wrench; Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view of the gear of my improved wrench about tribe applied to the shouldered head on the end of one ofthe radial securing bolts; Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 showing the gear of the wrench after application to the bolt-head; Fig. 10

is a section on line XX of Fig. 7, the

fire-carrying rim, one of vide the interlocking tong Wrench being removed from the bolt-head; Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing a modification of my invention, in which the same is adapted to a wire wheel construction.

Referring to the drawings in'detail, the numeral 1 designates a wheel having aei v E, which, if of wood, is preferably prov with an endless metallic folly band 3 permanently secured thereto by shrinking or otherwise. The fell; 3 is. provided with bearing surfaces for complementary bearing '1 ces upon the bearin suri i I b faces. 4 bean )18 rainy termed -u ion 2.

flange 0, so as to hat-. 2 a greater diameter than the bearing suriace S formed at the opposite edge of the :elly band. As will be understood. if the material of the telly 2 is suitable, the bearmg suriaces may be formed directly thereon and the separate felly band 3 dispensed with. One form of such a con struction is shown in Fig. 11, in which a metallic channel replaces the wooden folly and its telly band. The sari-aces e and 6 are preferably inclined slightly in the same. general direction. although this is not essential.

7 is .the tire-carrying rim which may be of any suitable construction. As illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, it comprises a rim base 8 transversely split at 9, and having inwardly hooked flanges 10 at its edges. The flanges 10 engage the endless.tire-retaining flanges 11 which retain the beads of the tire 12. As illustrated, the iianges ii. are reversi able so that the rim nay be used to carry either a tire of clencher form. or a straightsided tire. As shown in Fig. the line of the split 9 is preferably i as to prowhich pre- 21 of the rim.

vent circumferential expan eled end of the rim base carrying the plate One end of the rim base may carry a plate 14: being arranged to overhang the-other end of the rim base, so that the end carrying the plate 14 cannot be moved radially inward with relation to the opposite end. It will thus be seen that the ends of the rim base are normally lockedagainst radial displace- -ment and a ainst circumferential displacement. The only way in which the ends of the rim can be disengaged is by displacing prevent the lateral displacement of the ends of the rimbase as they are forced firmly beneath the inwardly hooked flanges 10 when the tire is inflated and will be heldv such position even when the tire is net inflated. by the clip' 15 carried by the valve-stem 16. The valve-stem is preferably located vnear the point where the rim is split, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4.

e The ends of the split rim base are thus norbase for. the valve-stem,

mally firmly held against displacement in any direction and the rim is as strong as an endless rim; The ends may be'readily disengaged, however, by deflating the tire andpushing up the valve clip-.by "means of the valve-stem, thus permitting the rim base to be collapsed and the endless flanges and tire to be removed. 1 I In forming an openin through therim l preferably draw upthe metal aroundthe opening into a sort bell mouth or flange '17, clearly shown in Figs. 4.- and 6. This flange may be formed without difiiculty.-during the punching oithe opening through therimbase. It serves to facilitate the applicationof a tire to the its opening. .It-will also'receive the edge of the nut 18 "whicli' 'is screwed on the valvestem to holdjthe clip in position, thus permitting the clip to seat firmly upon the rim base, although this" nut ,18 may project slightly below the same. The edge of the flange-l7 forms a seat for shut-19 which may be screwed on the valve-stem to draw the clip down upon" the rim base ahd thus wedge the beads of the tireragai'nst the flanges 11 and hold themflseparated, thus preventing the-lateral displacement of the ends of the rimbase, as above specified, The valve-stem 16 is preferably' inclosedQ-in a valve cap. The latter ,may-serew uponthe valve-stem in the usual manner, although I prefer to attach the same to the wheel independently ofthe valve-stem, so that the rim ;and,tire may be removed fromthe (wheel; n'without'removing the valve cap, if desired.

'Inaccordance'with my invention, I attach a ds of the tongifles 13 on the plates, as shown in plate 20 to the inner oi -the wheel telly in any suitable manner, as by means of the'screws 21 passing through the felly and plate is provided with a so -threaded opening 22 therethrough, into hich screws felly band-and screwmg'into out plate. The

the threaded end of the valve cap 23'. I The I valve cap may be provided with asqua'red end 24, or other suitable means," for turning thesame. I The removable tire-carrying rimispreferably looked upon the wheel'by'means ofa plurality of'radial studs 25. These studs" slide in' holes in the 'felly and are provided with screw-threaded stems 26, which screw through plates 27 secured to the underssurface of the felly. I refer tofform these rods passing through hmes in the iellyand ig. .2, with integral v prongs or rods turned up at each end, such the felly band, and riveted to the latter. The

plates may be easily and cheaply constructed in this form and are very strong, the

"pressure of the' studs being transmitted directly through the plates to the felly band of the wheel. The radial studs 25 have their endsformed to' engage the rim in such manner as to prevent-lateral and circumferential movement of the rim upon the wheel. I I prefer to form the ends of these studs with stamping a rounded depression in the rim base. Such a depressionmay be stamped with the least injury .tefthe surrounding metal and with the simplest dies and by properly shaping the end of the radial stud an extended bearing surface isobtairied.

The studat the same time has a tapered {end adapted to guide the rim into alinenient with the wheel. -I preferably reinforceifthe wear plates 30- to the under-surface of the rim, these being depressed as indica d at 31 to conform to the depressed socks in i the rim. The extreme ends of' tlie'rmllal 1 This avoids the necessity ofca-refully, con.-

'95 a concave tapering bearing surface 29 which is adapted to fit the natural, roll formed by sockets formed in the rim for the reception i of these radial studs by welding or brazing rmnbase by guiding the valve-stem through e bolts and the bottoms of the sockets in'the wear plates.

forming theends of the holt's toithe shape of the sockets and eliminatesithe danger. of the whole pressure of any stud beingcom centrated upon a snail area at the extreme end"thereo f. Foi rotating the studs any suitable means may -be employed, but as p 5 shown in the drawings, the'endof the stem of each stud is squared, as indicated at "3.2, and a zfaceted h'ead 33 secured to such squared end in any suitable mannen,- asv by 311133115 of a-pin 34, Ihave shown the heads 33 provided at their lower ends with narrow messes e of similar outline to the heads, heads and flanges being square, as illustrated in the drawings. The flanges are to retain a wrench applied to the heads for rotating the same. i hate devised a novel form of brace wrench especially adapted for use in this connection which i have i ated in Figs. 5, i, 8, 9 and 10.

on of this wrench adapted to en- -eads 33 comprises a socket memr 36 having a square opening 37 h of just sutficient size to pass he nange 35. Fig. 8 shows this meniiassed over the flange of the head. cket member has passed beyond and is rotated to operate the it will turn slightly with relahead 33, as it is necessarily rger than the same in order to o pass over the flange By flange 35 narrower, however, nee in size between the socket 3? ad 33 is not suiiicient to permit .aember 36 to rotate freely about -u, but it will rotate only until the the head 33 engage the walls of as shown in Figs. 7 and 9. rotation of the socket member 36 with it the head 33 and conseante the radial stud, as desired. seen that when the socket member is r. i "o a position shown in Figs. 5, 7 at-.. ill rest upon portions of the fiang thus be held against accidental disp from the head 33. -This is importa re the socket member 36 forms art of see Wrench, as indicated in Fig. as be eds are required for operating the Wrei nd some means are necessary to to preven. e socket of the Wrench from dropping the head 33. The means for support-in d rotating the socket member 33 of the ich are as follows: The socket memb o ided with teeth 38, the cen- $5 tral po. t "1 u; the socket member projecting shove a: eiow the toothed portion of the. same to provide drical bosses 39. The lowe .ndrical bosses is received in a r ing formed in a casing 40,

as pro; 1g I f 0111 one side of Which are bearings e1, -which received the shaft portion 42 of the angularly bent brace 43. The brace is preferably provided. with the usual handies all and i5; by which the same may be operated to rotate the bar 42 about its axis. The socket member 36 is retained in the casing to by means of a cover-plate 46 having a circular opening therethrou'gh which fits the upper boss 39. The cover-plateAG may be secured in position in any suit-able manner, as by means of the screws 47. The portion of the shaft 42 between the bearings 41 carries a Worm 48 which meshes with the teeth 38 of the socket memhere'ii. The

boss 51 projecting from the operation of the metaw'iil now he meterstood. The wrench is applieth-bysliding the socket over the flange 35, as shown in Fig. 8, and then rotating the worm 48 b means of the brace. The rotation of the worm will first turn the socket member 36 into the position shown in Fi s. 7 and 9, which will prevent the end of the wrench from dropping oil the head. of the stud. Further rotation of the brace will rotate the stud into operative or inoperative position, depending upon the direction of rotation of the wrench. 'Zlhe wrench is especially adapted .for operating radial studs of the nature shown, as it may be operated from the side of the wheel in a very convenient and rapid manner. radial studs to be forced out with great power. The forcing out of the radial studs causes the tapered ends or the same to engage the sockets in the under-si'u'iace of the rim. the tapered shape of the ends of the studs acting to insure accurate alinement of the rim upon the wheel telly. Further rotation of the studs forces the bearing surfaces of the rim away from the bearing surfaces of the telly band distorting the rim slightly out of true circular configuration and drawing the portions of the rim between adjacent studs into close contact with the bearing surface of the telly band. The rim is thus caused to grip the wheel throughout-the grea part of its periphery and a very solid ring of the rim upouthe Wheel is obtain u. The distortion the rim is not sufficient to affect the running qualities of the wheel.

F or preventing accidental rotation of the studs, I may use any suitable means, for example, spiral spring lock washers 49. These look Washers may be inserted in the holes in the telly through which the studs pass, one end of the lock washer bearing against the shoulder 50 formed by the end of the main body of the stud, while the other end of the lock washer rests upon the surface of the i *e 27' and received in the end of the opening through the folly. By making the lo" he-r 0t a spring of several convolutions, 1; follow iii.

the shoulder 50 throughout the travel of the radial stud and will thus serrelto lock the stud against accidental displacement when.

in any position; The lock washen'owing to its position in the hole in the telly, is protected from injury and concealed from View so that the neat appearance of the wheel is not detracted from,

Either in addition-to the lock Washers 49, or in place of the same, I may use look nuts 52 screwing on the stems of the studs. The nuts '52 are preferably used whether the lock Washers 49' are used or not, as in addition to their function as lock, nuts, they serve to limitthe outward radial movement of the sis-us; res loch alaspreferably fit the it also enables the adjacent to the studs, thus I nut 52 of, the stud. The nut and head are screw-threaded stems of the studs somewhat tightly, so that theywillnormally remain I stationary upon isu'clr- ,stems. They thus serve to limit the outward movement of the studs whenthe latter are operated iby means 'of the wrench, and thusevent one studpreferably made of the same configuration,

so that-the wrench may be used in form of my invention particularly adapted to a wirewheel or other wheelv having. a

metallic channel in plaoepfa wooden felly j and itsmetallic fellyiband. As shown in this figure, 53 is the .channsl-shaped metalflicffixed rim corresfp'onding to theifelly 2 with i'tsfelly bandishown; in the structure set'forth in Fig, 5, having flanges 54 and 55 atthe edges thei eoflthe flange 54. hav--' ing a greater peripheral diameter than the flange 55. The edges of these flanges form bearing surfaces of difierent diameters upon which seats the tire-carrying rim. '56 is the tire-carrying rim which may bev of any suitable construction, it preferably comprising a transversely split rim base having endless tire-retaining flanges 11. The rim base has a shallow depression 57 rolled therein atone side, the outside of the depressed portion forming a bearing. surface adapted to engage the bearing surface formedby the peripherytof -the flange .54. At thejother 'de of the rim base is formed 'a deeper deression'58, in one wall of which yiS rolled an oifset 59. The horizontal wall 60 of this .oiiset' forms a' seat adapted to engage the periphery of the flange 55, while the verticalwalltif of the ofisbt engages the side of the. flange 55 and serves to limit the lateral movement of the rim and thud prevent it from slipping entirely over the wheel while being applied. The rimbase has a del 'pressionqtherein preferably fitted. with a wear plate 34), as above described. {62. is one. of the radial studs forsecuring the rim to the wheel, this studbeingiprovide'd. with a head 63 having a flange35 for the same purpose-as the flange 35 already "described.-

The fixed rim 53 has a series of bosses 64 preferably formed integral therewith, these bosses being internally threaded toreoeive the screw-threaded studs For preventing the ,accidental rotation of'the studs, lock Washers iii-may be inserted between the heads of the studs and the ends of the bosses ,A telly plate for vehicle wheels plates, the ends of said studs me se 64 it desired, The operationof the studs,

in securing the rim upon the wheel is the same as that of the studs previously. de-

l. A removable tire-carrying rim =for vehicle wheels having sockets pressed therein at intervals, and wear plates conforming to said sockets and secured to theunder-surfac e of the'rim.

2. The combination with a vehicle wheel of a tire-carryingrim having rounded sockets pressed in the bottom thereof, and means 1 I v 5 '.for securing said rim upon said wheel .com- In .Fig. 11 l. ;l1ave'illustrated a modifiedprising radially movable studs carried by pered ends entering the socketsin the rim, the extreme ends of said studs @being flattened so as to provide a clearanre between said ends and the rounded bottoms of the sockets in the rim.

3. The combination with a vehicle wheel -5 the 'wheel, said studs having concave tameans for securing the rim upon the wheel comprising radial studs carried by the wheel having tapered ends engaging said wear plates.

4:. 'The combination with a vehicle wheel of a tire-carrying rim removably mounted thereon,- and means iorsecuring the rim upon the wheel comprising plates having integl'al prongs turned up from the ends thereo id prongs securing th plates tawhe under-surface of the folly of the wheel, saidplates having screw-threaded openings therethrough, and studs sliding in radial holes through the felly of the wheel, said studs having screw-threaded stems a i v through the screw-threaded holes; in,

plates, the ends of said studs engaging the inder surface of said rim. I I

5. In a vehicle wheel, in combination, a

felly, a metallic felly'band mounted thereon,

a movable tire-carrying rim 'mounted on said telly band, and meansfor securing said rim in position comprising plates havinginw tegral prongs turned up therefrom, said prongs passing radially through the. felly" and folly band and being riveted to said felly band, said plates having screw-thread ed openings therethrough, and radial studs mounted in holesin the felly, said studs having. screwthreaded stems assing through the screw-threaded holessm said engaging the undersurface of the rim.

of the wheel over a;

V with the holes through ing wooden fellies and metallic felly bands, comprising a body portion adapted to fit the under-side of the felly, said body portion having integral prongs turned up therefrom, said prongs passing through holes in the telly and felly band and being riveted to the latter.

7. The combination with a vehicle wheel having a felly with 'radial holes therethrough of a removable tire-carrying rim mounted upon said wheel, and means for securing the rim upon the wheel comprising plates secured to the under-side of the felly the ends of the radial holes therethrough, said plates having screw-threaded, holes therethrough alined the telly, but of less diameter, studs having body'portions slid- *'.1,;,:'ing in the holes through the telly, and

"ing through the holes threaded stems of reduced diameter screwin the plates, the ends .of said studs adapted to engage the undersurface of the rim, the ends of the threaded stems of said studs being formed for engagement by a wrench or the like, and spring lock washers mounted in the holes through the telly and surrounding the stems of said studs, the ends of said lock washers engaging the plates secured to the felly and the shoulders formed by the ends of the body portions of the studs, respe'ctively.

8. The combination with a vehicle wheel of a tire-carrying rim removably mounted radially through the thereon, and means for securing said rim uponsaid wheel comprising studs passing radially through the felly'of the wheel and engaging the under-surface of the rim, the ends of said studs being provided with faceted heads having narrow flanges of the same outline as the heads at the lower ends of the latter.

9. The combination with a vehicle wheel of a tire-carrying rim removably mounted thereon, and means for securing the rim upon the wheel comprising a stud passing folly of the wheel and adapted to engage the under-surface of the rim,

said-stud having a flanged some head adapted to be engagedby the socket of a brace wrench operable from the side of the of a tire-carrying rim having sockets pressed therein, rim upon said movable studs carried by the wheel ,'said studs having ends entering the sockets in the rim, said ends being shaped to provide a clearance therebetween and the bottoms of said sockets.

11. The combination with a vehicle wheel of a tire-carrying rim 'removably mounted thereon, and means for securing the rim upon the wheel comprising plates having members thereon adapted to pass through holes in the folly of the wheel, said plates being adapted to engage the ends of studs passm of sai studs engaging the under-surface of said rim.

12., The combination with a vehicle wheel having a felly with radial holes thereand means for securing said through of a removable tire-carrying rim mounted upon said wheel and means for securing the rim-upon the wheel comprising plates secured to the under-side of the folly of' the wheel over the holes therethrough, said plates being provided with screw-threaded holes there through the felly, the outer ends wheel comprising radially ends' of the radial 

